Successful restaurants rely on a combination of great recipes, quality ingredients, excellent cooks and waitstaff, and efficient kitchens that can keep up with customer orders. Although restaurant owners might focus on improving areas such as recipes and menu offerings or waitstaff training, even the best restaurants can get derailed when they fail to properly maintain their essential kitchen equipment, which is the backbone of every restaurant.

When any piece of key kitchen equipment malfunctions due to improper maintenance and care, it can cause costly delays and lead to a decline in both revenue and reputation. The focus of today's Aegis blog post are three ways that proper kitchen maintenance can help protect restaurants, both from damages and accidents as well as costly delays and loss of productivity.

Kitchen Operations Run Correctly

Restaurant kitchens rely on a variety of equipment and machinery, such as large-scale mixers, meat smokers, deep fryers, ovens, and freezers and refrigeration. When these costly machines are not regularly maintained or inspected by professionals, this can lead to a decline in efficiency and reliability. For example, deep freezers and refrigeration systems should be inspected regularly to ensure they are keeping foods at proper temperatures so raw foods do not spoil. In addition, deep fryers and mixers should be well cleaned and maintained daily to ensure they work properly and do not malfunction, which could cause a temporary closure or cause the kitchen to fall behind on customer orders.

Employees and Customers Are Safer

When kitchen equipment is properly maintained, it can also improve safety for both kitchen workers and for customers. For example, meat smokers should be regularly inspected and cleaned to remove any build-up of creosote or other cooking remnants to help prevent kitchen fires or carbon monoxide poisoning. Also, kitchen equipment such as knives or industrial slicers should be regularly sharpened and stored securely to prevent any employee accidents or injuries that could increase restaurant liability.

Lower Long-Term Restaurant Costs

Finally, ensuring proper maintenance of essential kitchen equipment is ultimately an investment in the long-term health and success of a restaurant. When restaurants get kitchen equipment cleaned, inspected, and maintained on a regular basis, it can extend the life of these machines and tools and can help restaurants avoid high replacement costs. In addition, when restaurants are safer and more efficient, it then lowers their potential for liability claims and also can improve their revenue because they aren't slowed down due to equipment malfunctions and kitchen delays.

Aegis Insurance & Financial Services is committed to helping restaurants across the Gulf Coast region have the financial protection and peace of mind that comes with reliable, quality Restaurant Insurance, including Commercial Property Insurance, Workers Compensation, General Liability, and more. Contact Aegis today at 713-850-7622 for more information, or fill out our online form to request a free quote!